Smile
by XxxAyakixxX
Summary: Juvia is busy trying to make Gray smile again when Makarov informs her of a mysterious letter sent from her former boyfriend, Bora. She expected it be the cheesiest piece of parchment she'd ever read, but it wasn't written by Bora, it was written by her deceased parents. (Gruvia) (Slight NaLu)
1. A Letter

A/N: (Spoiler alert! Don't read unless you have gotten to chapter 413 in Fairy Tail) There have been quite a couple of Gruvia panels in the manga recently, and after Silver died, Juvia is left with the words that he last told her. "I leave Gray to you." So, of course, I had to write a story about it. (P.S. This is supposed to be after the Tartarus arc. I know the arc isn't over yet, but I'm just guessing they're going to beat Zeref and everything is gonna be fine again.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>It first started after Zeref's defeat; the smell of fresh food would permeate throughout the entire guild, but it wasn't meant for everyone, it was only meant for <em>Gray-sama<em>. Juvia, along with a large tray of really anything food-related, would skip around the guild in search of her Gray-sama. Once Juvia would find Gray, she would lay the tray of food in front of Gray in hopes that he would eat it. He never did eat it, and the reason behind it was obvious. Gray was depressed. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't even force a smile for his friends. It had been a week since his father's death, and it was still very raw in his mind. Not even the savory smell of fried chicken legs quelled his sorrow.

Juvia pressed the tray against Gray's slumped shoulder again after assuming he didn't feel the frigid metal the first time. He grabbed the tray from Juvia and placed it next to him, making the water mage lower her eyes in disappointment.

Through the long and depressing days after Zeref's defeat, Juvia had tried to pep up Gray with anything she could conjure up: jokes, food, and comforting touches - which he would quickly shove away. Juvia had baked meal after meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for Gray, but he had rejected each and every one, including the one that he had pushed aside.

Juvia stifled her sniffles, "Do you want to talk..?"

Gray shook his head, indicating a firm "no". Juvia nodded as her reply - even though he couldn't see it with his face pressed against his knees. Juvia... Juvia couldn't stand Gray being so sad... But there was nothing she could do for him - not in the state he was in.

Erza ran up to Gray after Juvia left, smacking his shoulder to try to get him out of his sulking depression, but he only tightened his face against his legs. Erza's face glowered from her friend's sadness and rejection, and she walked away, her expression remaining.

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy went right after Erza, and they took a more bold approach. Natsu sat right next to Gray and ate the rejected chicken legs Juvia cooked for him, and draped his arm around his friend/rival. Lucy sat right next to him as well, and tried to spark up a conversation, but she and Natsu were rejected instantly by Gray pushing them away. He was sporting an angry expression after seeing Natsu with a chicken leg hanging from his mouth, and went back to his position - nose-diving against his comforting hole of warmth - his legs.

"He's impossible..." Natsu muttered after gulping down the last chicken leg.

"Do you think he'll be okay, Natsu?" Lucy asked, obviously worried about her sulking friend.

"He will. He's a member of Fairy Tail, remember?" Natsu assured with a grin, and draped his arm around Lucy. She blushed in return.

"Yeah.."

Juvia watched Gray's sad state from afar, and contemplated whether she should walk back over there and try to comfort him. He was rejecting everybody though, so it might not be the best idea. Juvia held up her face with her palms, and stared at Gray to make sure he was okay. He remained defiant in his uncomfortable looking position, and Juvia could only sigh at his stubborn antics.

Juvia recalled the words that Gray's father said to her, "I leave Gray to you." Juvia clasped her hands and concluded what she had to do; make Gray smile again, and not a forced smile, a real one.

Before she could devise various schemes to get Gray to smile, Makarov yelled out for Juvia's attention. Everyone looked over at the scene, even Gray, and they could see the underlying fear in Makarov's voice and facial expression.

"Juvia," Makarov called, his forehead dripping with perspiration, "Come to my office, please."

Juvia's eyes widened. As nervous as she was, she followed Makarov. Gray watched on from afar with a slight look of worry on his face, until Cana jokingly punched him in the arm.

"You worried?" Cana asked with a toothy grin.

Gray only slightly blushed and buried his head back against his legs for some much-needed peace.

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><p><em>In Makarov's office<em>

"Juvia can't believe it.." Juvia gasped as tears and sweat came off her face in unison.

"I can't either. But you must remember, Juvia.." Makarov trailed off, now looking straight into Juvia's wavering eyes, "The letter may be written by your parents, but it was sent by _Bora_."


	2. Alone and With A Goal

A/N: One of you had a question about my story, and so I will answer it here in my author's note.

Yuki Loxar - Gray does have demon slayer magic in this story.

Also, if any of you have questions about this story, I will gladly reply to them; as for the rest of you who didn't have any questions, thank you for reviewing. It means a lot. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>Everyone in the guild watched Makarov's office door, curiously waiting for Juvia to come out. Makarov had looked pretty freaked out when he asked Juvia to come to his office, so of course, it caught a lot of attention.<p>

"You think she's in trouble?" Gajeel nervously asked, pacing close to the door.

Juvia was his friend, and basically his sister. He couldn't understand why she would be brought into Makarov's office since she was so much of a good-goody when it came to the guild's rules. Makorv definitely was hiding something, but it appeared that it was only for Juvia's and Makarov's ears to hear. Gajeel cracked his knuckles to ease his nerves after taking another long pace near the door.

"Doubt it," Cana slightly comforted after taking a large gulp of beer, "Juvia loves this place too much - she wouldn't break any of the rules. Not even the tiniest of rules."

Gajeel slightly calmed down after Cana's bode of encouragement, but he still couldn't help but feel worried for Juvia. Although he was not much of the nosy type, this was his friend, and he couldn't ignore the urge any longer... He pressed his ear up against the door, but Juvia opened the door the moment he attempted to spy on her. Now, Gajeel was lying on the floor in an embarrassed manner.

"Gajeel-kun..." Juvia mumbled, her eyes softening apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Gajeel quickly assured, "What happened in there?" he looked straight into Juvia's eyes, and they appeared to be dimmer than the usual brightness that they'd emit, "Juvia?"

"It's nothing to fret over, Gajeel-san," Juvia assured, but then dropped her smiley act in charge of her serious one, "Is it possible for you to come on a mission with me though?"

"I can't..." Gajeel said, his face downcast.

Gajeel had promised Levy that he would go on a mission with her, and they were going to leave in just a few minutes. He couldn't just bail on her.

"I understand..." Juvia said sullenly and began walking around the guild in hopes to find somebody else to go on a mission with her.

It was a futile attempt, it appeared. Juvia had asked almost everybody in the guild, and they either had plans or a mission to go on; everybody except for a few people who couldn't possibly help in a mission of that level, and Gray. Juiva lowered her eyes. She couldn't possibly ask Gray to go with her. That was like asking him to get up after breaking both of his legs - it was just impossible. She turned away, but then quickly turned back. She contemplated whether to ask or not for at least ten minutes in front of Gray, who finally took wind of her repetitive pacing.

"What?" Gray simply asked, actually sparing a glance at Juvia.

Juvia stopped her panicked pacing and quietly walked straight up to Gray with raised eyebrows. She knew this was a long-shot request, but she had to ask.

"Gray-sama, i-if it were possible..." Juvia stalled, fidgeting with her fingers, "You know... If you're up to it and all... Would go on this top-secret mission with me?" She tried to make it seem extra important by putting the word 'top-secret' into the mix.

Gray scanned Juvia from top to bottom, his eyes resting on her misty orbs. _She must have been crying..._ Gray thought as tried to look deeper into her gaze. The gaze she expressing at the moment was the one he was sported - depressed and confused. He could tell that there a valid reason for her puffy eyes and stoic shoulders. That juvia wasn't the Juvia that brought his Gray-bread, that was a Juvia that was inwardly suffering, just like he was.

Gray looked away, closing his eyes as if hoping to find a clear answer in darkness. He opened his eyes again to see Juvia's expression mistier than before, and he could almost feel his heart begging him to accept. But... He couldn't.

Gray frowned before replying, "I can't..." he gritted his teeth, "I... I have plans."

The lingering pain throbbing in his heart forced him to reject. He could barely move a finger without the thoughts of his father's death circling in his brain, and if he went on a mission, the wounds may reappear, but this time, much deeper than before. He looked away from Juvia's saddened gaze, and she slowly began to walk away.

"I understand..." She muffled under her fur coat, tears threatening to fall as she exited the guild, alone.

Gray looked around the guild after Juvia left; it really was lonely here without his friends...

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><p>Juvia reached the train station at the perfect time - only a few minutes before it would start railing through the towns of Arberdale. Arberdale was the town specified in the letter Juvia received, and it said directly on the letter that she had to go just a few miles past Arberdale, and she would see a slightly dilapidated cottage.<p>

The letter itself was odd, but it held the words that her parents had written by hand, and so here Juvia was, now sitting on her seat in the train to Arberdale. She rubbed her wrists, anxious about what else was in store for her. What if... What if this all was a lie, and she was being set up? Nobody would know to save her - not when they're on their own mission and far away from her. She shook her head the second she thought of that probability; she didn't want to think about it. She wanted to look on the the bright side. And that was getting her hands on the most invaluable piece of history she could ever hope to touch. Her past.

The train started.

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><p>Makarov, finally after soaking in all of the haunting news about the letter, exited his office and saw only eight people still inside of the guild - one of them being Gray Fullbuster. Makorov raised a curious eyebrow before he approached him. He thought that Juvia would have had Gray come with her on the mission, but it was possible that Gray had rejected her. Makaorv hesitantly shook Gray's shoulder to make sure he had his attention.<p>

"Gray?" Makorv called, and Gray looked at him with groggy eyes.

"Yes?" Gray hastily asked, and his eyes wavered at the sight of his guild master.

"Did you see Juvia leave?"

"Yes."

"Who was she with?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody!? Oh my... This is serious!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"There's no time! I need you to go to Arberdale right away!"

"I don't-"

"Juvia's life could be in danger!"

Gray finally shut his mouth after the heart-wrenching news. What kind of mission was Juvia on?

"What do I do?" Gray caved in, and Makarov quickly explained the directions to the cottage in Arberdale, "All right - I'm going."

Gray left with a worried mind and a fractured heart. He was mourning over his father's death, and now Juvia is going on a life-threatening mission? He couldn't lose her too... Not like this.

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><p>Juvia wistfully stared out the window right next to her. She was still a few hours from Arberdale, and the train really couldn't be going any slower at this point. Although Juvia was anxious about the letter predicament, she still wanted to see what she came for. And she couldn't do that with the train going five miles per hour. She blew away an annoying piece of hair from her face and crossed her legs.<p>

Juvia needed _it._ And she needed it now. But it was still so far away from her grasp - the thing that made her go on this crazy adventure in the first place. That thing... There or not... She just had to know if it existed.

Juvia hastily pulled out the letter and skimmed the words that her parents had written. She hugged it to her chest, sobbing as quietly as she could manage.

"Soon... Juvia will have at least something to remember you by." Juvia whispered to herself as she daydreamed about her parents' faces.


	3. The Dilapidated Cottage

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed - **mgaa, Darkhope, LiveTheAnime01, sabrina-luna-potter, agirlworthfighting4, Yuki Loxar, moonlightclock, **and **animegamernerd15. **I also want to thank everyone who favorited and followed. And to all of you silent readers, thanks. :) (P.S. Italics are meant to be read as thoughts or emphasis in this story.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>"One hour until Arberdale!" A voice from the surrounding speakers bellowed.<p>

The speakers were placed all around the train so everybody could hear when the train would get closer to the next town.

Juvia looked out her window seat again, thinking about Gray and how he was coping with his father's death without her by his side - or really any of his best friends by his side. It was odd now that Juvia really thought about it... Everyone had left for a mission, leaving Gray to sort things out and mourn by himself. Juvia grimaced. She had left Gray all alone with nothing but a wounded heart and a perplexed brain. Juvia had also been emotionally scarred by Silver's death, seeing that she felt that she was the reason for his death in the first place.

Juvia looked away from the window and sorted through her thoughts. _Gray-sama... He must hate me... I took away his only living, breathing family member. It's all my fault. _Juvia placed her hands over her head, taking in all of the mental beatings. She deserved it. She shouldn't have hurt her love, and now, thanks to her, Gray was suffering. _He could never love a murderer._

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><p>Gray scratched the back of his neck, grumbling about having to wait on the benches next to the train station. The next train to Arberdale wouldn't be until an hour from now, and he had to get to Juvia. Makarov hadn't told him too much about the situation, except for that he needed to get to Arberdale as soon as possible. He would have run to Arberdale by this point, but it would have taken longer, so all Gray could really do was wait. And hope.<p>

_Be safe, Juvia, _Gray thought as he wistfully stared up at the sky.

**-Line Break-**

The train stopped, letting all of its passengers exit to the beautiful town of Arberdale. Children were skipping on their chalk-lined squares, while the parents talked to the other parents about everything under the sun. Besides the merry people, the town was beaming in the fluorescent sunshine adorned by tall flowers peaking from the fertile ground. It was quite...peaceful to say the least.

Juvia was the last to exit the train, and she politely bowed to the train conductor before walking off in search of the dilapidated cottage. Juvia would have taken the train to go farther so she wouldn't have to walk so far, but the train tracks had stopped right at Arberdale, leaving anyone wishing to go farther on a long, sore-inducing walk.

Juvia inhaled the sweet aromas of the town, and strolled through its brick-laden streets. She wanted to get to the cottage right away to get what she desired so desperately - if it was even there. Juvia shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking that way... It _has_ to be there.

"Juvia must find the cottage..." Juvia encouraged herself, "even if it's not there..."

Juvia continued strolling until her eyes gripped onto something shiny and visually perfect. It was a golden chain necklace with a locket - one that could hold a picture inside. Juvia was in awe of the sparkling jewelry, and decided to get a closer look inside the shop. The cashier instantly greeted her, and Juvia politely greeted back. Juvia walked straight to the necklace she was previously paying attention to and gazed at with curious eyes.

The necklace had golden chains, and the locket was also made of gold, but it didn't have much of a feminine charm to it. Most likely, it was meant for a man. Juvia's eyes lit up the second her thoughts switched to Gray. Maybe the necklace would cheer him up...

"That would be perfect for Gray-sama." Juvia whispered to herself, picking up the beautiful piece of jewelry and placing it on the counter; she didn't even bother to check the price.

The cashier, which was a very sweet woman, rung up the necklace. Her eyes widened at the price she saw, but managed to croak out the total, "600,000 jewels."

Juvia's mouth gaped at the amount of money she'd have to pay, but dug through her purse anyway to see what she had.

"500,000 Jewels..." She whispered to herself. Looks like she'd have to pay part of it with her credit card. She sighed; the people at her bank would get so mad at her, but she racked through her brain and decided she could just do a few more missions to make up for it. Juvia handed the girl all the money she had and the credit card, to which the girl seemed to pity Juvia a little bit.

The girl softly smiled at Juvia after holding the necklace tightly in her palm, "Do you want it engraved, miss?"

"Uhh..." Juvia drawled, knowing she wouldn't be able to afford it.

"It comes with the necklace, so it's no extra pay." The girl chimed in, and Juvia clasped her hands ecstatically.

"All right... Then, I want..."

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><p>Gray sat down in the nearest seat once he entered the train, and raked his hair. He was nervous about a lot of things, but the most of his worries were about Juvia. Everyone rejected her, and she had to go on the "mission" alone, if you even wanted to call it a mission. Juvia's mission was just about her reading directions to some cottage and getting something she wanted in return. But what did she want? He didn't know. He just hoped that nothing bad happened to her while he was waiting to reach Arberdale.<p>

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><p>Juvia skipped out of the jewelry shop where she had just bought a perfect gift for Gray. She felt that she didn't deserve Gray, but her heart contradicted her actions as she placed the necklace in her pocket. She still loved Gray, and maybe, just maybe, he could forgive her? And maybe then, he could start to like her back?<p>

Her thoughts were interrupted after she caught a glimpse of smoke circulating quite a ways from her. _Maybe it's the cottage? _Juvia jogged through the forest, her boots kicking the muddy dirt as she thought of the thing she'd get. It was more special to her than anything - well, except for Gray-sama. Although the thing she wanted was an inanimate object, it still contained something that no amount of money could buy. That's why she was running through disheveled trees and low-hanging branches... To get that invaluable object.

"There it is." Juvia huffed, resting her hands on her knees as she heavily panted from the strenuous jog.

The cottage was right in front of her. All she had to do was open the door and her dream would come true.

"I'm here." Juvia announced as she slowly opened the door.

Juvia's eyes widened, and her heart pounded dangerously loud. The man in front of her wasn't Bora... It was someone she had never seen before. Was this a trap? Juvia slowly turned back to the door and quickly reached for the doorknob until her arms were held back by the man. Juvia retaliated by kicking the man's foot and shooting a quick offensive water mage move.

"Water Bullet!" Juvia yelled, and opened the door to escape.

"Wait, don't you want this?" The man asked, appearing not to be fazed at all by the attack he just received. He was holding a book in his left hand, and Juvia turned back to him, pondering over whether that's what she thought it was.

The man grinned as he opened the book, showcasing the thing she had come all this way for. Her past.


	4. The Book

A/N: Thank you for reviewing - **Digi-fanCatt, The Keeper of Worlds, Lilpoppy03, LiveTheAnime01, Darkhope, sabrina-luna-potter, **and **mgga. **Thanks so much for reading and reviewing - the favorites and the follows also mean so much to me! I hope you will continue reading. I'm sorry about the short chapter, but there are a lot of answers, so I hope that makes up for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>"Don't you want it, Juvia?" The man said Juvia's name as if he knew her. The book he was just holding was now opened, showing off the thing she desired most. Her past.<p>

Juvia stared at the inside of the book, blinking several times just to reassure herself that it was true. She was actually glancing at old pictures of her and her deceased family. Her parents had died from a brutal murder when she was five, and she saw every drop of blood plop on the floor. It haunted her thoughts, day and night. It was relentless. The only reason she was standing right now, alive, was that her parents had hid her before the massacre occurred. She remembered how badly she wanted to stop the murderer, but she was glued into her hiding spot from fear and absolute shock. It was a rather hazy memory, but it was still existent. She shook her head and thought clearly before she would ever think of pleading for the book. How would this man she never knew have the book?

"How do you know Juvia's name?" Juvia demanded for a reply, clenching her fists as she waited impatiently, "and how do you have those pictures?"

The man chuckled, "I suppose I'm a forgotten memory."

His reply was vague and Juvia wasn't sure if that reply answered both of her questions or not.

Juvia cocked her head, "Is Juvia supposed to know you?"

The man grinned from ear to ear, and started walking towards the confused water mage, "You're very rude y'know? Is that how you talk to your master?"

Juvia's eyes widened. Her memories started to unclear as she recalled one of the last bits of her memory. After her parents' deaths, the murderer had found her because she had sobbed a little too loudly. But once the man grabbed her, he knocked her out, leaving her with only bits and pieces of the cruel onslaught.

Juvia stared at her trembling hands and reluctantly began to touch her face just to feel how much she was trembling. Her heartbeat escalated, and she couldn't stop her hyperventilating.

"What are you talking about!?" Juvia asked in a shaky tone as she started to lose her balance.

"Eh? D'you really think water magic just comes from the sky?" The man, instead of replying, asked a rhetorical question.

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><p>Gray shifted in his seat. The train was to stop in exactly five minutes at Arberdale. Gray was both anxious and relieved, but he knew for sure what he had to do once he was dropped off.<p>

Find Juvia.

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><p>"Why can't you just give Juvia a straight-forward answer?" Juvia queried, furrowing her brows. She had kept urging the man to answer her long list of questions, but he only replied with vague answers that made Juvia mentally lead into several different directions. All of his answers could mean just about anything, and could turn into about any scenario.<p>

"All right. If that's what you want," The man shrugged, but grinned maliciously at Juvia, "you're not going to get this book unless you do a spell for me. If you refuse now or later, I will destroy it. Can't be more straightforward than that."

"But Juvia doesn't understand! How do you even know Juvia?!" Juvia asked, angrier than ever about both the book and the frustration of not knowing about her relationship with the man in front of her.

He gently smiled in a cruel sort of way, "You really don't remember, do you? I'd expect you to remember the man who killed your parents and gave you your damned water magic in the first place."

Juvia's eyes constricted as she felt her heart rise to her throat. She couldn't breath. Her thoughts were jumbled up and unclear. She didn't know what to do or what to say, all she could feel was a lump in her throat and burning tears rolling down her cheeks. This man... Gave her this depressing rain.


	5. Drip Drop Drip

A/N: Thank you for reviewing - **hotrodren, NudgeThePyro, Digi-fanCatt, sabrina-luna-potter, LiveTheAnime01, agirlworthfighting4, Lady of the Round Table, BrigitteoO,** and **The**** Keeper of Worlds. **Also, thank you to every silent reader, favoriter, and follower - it means a lot to me. I know this is a very long chapter, but it makes up for the last one, huh? Haha.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>Juvia cautiously and slowly backed away from the man. Her back was pressed against the front door, and she sunk onto the floor, completely numb by the perplexing news. She didn't know how to react. Her parents' murderer, the man who gave her the rain, was in right in front of her, demanding her to assist him in some unknown task for a book filled with memories. Her memories.<p>

Juvia grimaced. Was she really thinking about helping him just for the sake of looking at those old scratched-up pictures?

"Juvia wants to know for sure... You killed Juvia's parents? You gave Juvia the rain?" Juvia asked, starting to hyperventilate again.

The man grinned from ear to ear, and dug into his jacket pocket, revealing a pitch black lacrima in his palm. Juvia cocked her head, confused, until the man decided to speak up, "I'm so very enthused that you'd ask that... See this? It's a dark lacrima that will show you your past. Tell me if you see my handsome mug."

Juvia's heart stopped for half a second while she was forcefully transported into the lacrima by some type of dark magic. It definitely wasn't the normal type of magic that she saw most people use, and this type, seemed almost different to dark magic as well. What was that guy? What are his powers?

Juvia finally landed into what she perceived as the past. It was in her old home, and her body seemed to be blurry and ghostly. She wasn't sure what to do, but as she aimlessly walked around the house, her deceased parents ran through her, affirming that she wasn't really existent in this place; she was only an observer. Her heartbeat fastened as she saw her parents scurry around to try to hide her young self inside of the cabinets - her hiding spot as she remembered.

"Mom... Dad... What's happening?" the young Juvia asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

The father reached over to ruffle her hair, and gave her an assuring smile to comfort her, "Don't worry, Juvia. We're sure it's just a simple robbery - nothing too scary to worry about. Okay?"

"So why is Juvia in here?" the young Juvia questioned, mentally freaking out.

The father lowered his head, but the mother piped up for him, seeing that he was out of words to say, "It's just in case the robber tries to steal your nose - you wouldn't want, would you? Besides, it's more fun to hide."

The young Juvia obediently nodded, and closed the cabinets, but then quickly opened them again, "J-Juvia loves you.." she said before closing the cabinet doors again.

The parents whispered back an 'I love you too', and held their guns closely to them in waiting. If the robber were to barge in, they would need protection, and they weren't mages so the guns would have to do.

The door flung open with gusts of black dust zipping throughout the house, and the man that older Juvia saw, was right in front of her. So, he was telling the truth... What to do now?

The man walked right through Juvia and knocked both of the parents' guns out from their hands. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked around the house, "I heard rumors of a water mage living here. Where is she?"

"There is no water mage here! Why did you break in?" The mother asked, both scared for herself and her family.

The man cupped the mother's chin with his right hand and smirked, "That's unfortunate..."

He drew back his left hand and swung it into the woman's face with black-colored magic sparking from it. The woman fell limp to the floor, swimming in her own pool of blood. It was obvious that she was no longer alive...

Hearing the commotion, the young Juvia creaked open the cabinet just enough to see what was happening without getting caught. Her mouth gaped, and before she could unintentionally reveal her hiding spot, she covered her mouth with her hands. She could feel her tears just rolling out, one by one.

"What is your goal!? Just to kill?" The father queried, glaring at both the man and his dead wife.

The man glared back at the father, recalling what he came for in the first place. Of course, the bloodshed of humans was enjoyable, but he had more important things to do, "No. Though fun, I need the water mage, and I _know_ she's here."

Young Juvia trembled in her hiding spot, mentally praying that her father would somehow make it out of this. She continued staring at the scene while older Juvia stood, shocked in her place. Older Juvia started to recall every last drop of blood, and started to remember why she said those words about the rain. The rain... It was so much like the blood of her parents, and now she was seeing it drip. Drop. Drip. Her whole body shook, and she fell to the ground, sobbing loudly.

"Why do you need a water mage so badly?" The father asked another question, to which the man seemed to be getting annoyed.

"Well, since it won't matter if you know, I'll tell you," The man mused, "I lost someone precious to me in the wonderful city of Arberdale, and I want to see her again. But the only way to actually see her... Feel her... Is to have a water mage, and your daughter is the perfect candidate since there are hardly any water mages around."

"I-I didn't even know that she was a water mage... But, if you could please spare her and me, I can try to help you find another-" The father offered, but was quickly stricken down by the man's intense, dark-like magic.

The man's glowing black hand went straight through the father's heart, ripping it out and throwing it in his own mouth. The blood from the heart dribbled out of his mouth, and he looked around the room for the girl. He barely had to search a minute before he heard a faint whimper, and he strolled to the cabinets where Juvia was hiding.

The older Juvia screamed in pain as she watched her horrible past rewind. The drip drop drip of blood plotted all over the floor and around her feet; the bloody sight of her parents gave her a chill up her spine, but the thing that chilled her to the bone was the man finding the younger Juvia and knocking her out. He shook his head in a disappointed manner.

"You're not ready yet it seems," The man started to say as he grazed the fair skin of younger Juvia's face, "but once you are, I'll be waiting."

The man cackled as he walked out the doors with a book full of pictures securely in his hand.

It was so sunny outside, so peaceful and happy, but now... It was raining.

Older Juvia watched her younger self crumple to the ground with dried up tears and a few drops of blood hanging from her lip. She just wanted to leave this nightmare - to leave her horrible past.

Juvia's wish was granted as her heart stopped once again and she transported back into the black lacrima. She fell on her butt, but quickly stood up to face the man. She remembered now. Every wrinkle, every strand on his head, and the way his teeth showed under his malicious grin. She walked up to the man, and raised her fist up at him, making him curious, but his curiosity left him after being punched square in the face. His body dragged across the floor and he landed against a wall. Drops of blood dribbled from his lips.

"You're a testy bitch..." The man remarked, wiping the blood off his face with his shirt sleeve.

"Before Juvia can even think about accepting your offer, Juvia will need to hear every detail." Juvia stated with a straight face. Her fists were still clenched, and her previous tears were now dried up along with her crumpled heart, "Juvia also wants to know why you killed Juvia's parents... And why you didn't just kidnap Juvia - it would have been easier, wouldn't it?"

The man stood up, stretching his back to get the painful kink out of it, "They were stopping me from attaining you... And I don't fancy roadblocks."

Juvia glared at him.

"I didn't kidnap you because you were too weak, and you didn't even know you had powers yet. I had to leave a note with you to make sure anybody who would take such a weakling in would know that you had water mage abilities. I didn't want you to be completely wasted, but I also didn't want you to be with me. It would have been too troublesome." the man summed up a quick explanation that made Juvia scowl even more.

"Juvia sees..." Juvia managed to say after hearing the man's uncensored explanation, "Now tell Juvia what this thing is you desire so much that you needed to scar an innocent child."

Juvia referred to the fact that the man needed a water mage to acquire this thing, or to be more specific, person.

The man realized what she meant and nonchalantly rubbed his chin, "I lost someone - Bali was her name. I never got to say what I needed to to her, and the only way now is to use a water mage's powers to take over her carcass and revive her with your own life for a few short minutes. That's all you'll have to do..."

The man grinned once he saw consideration written on Juvia's face. She was actually thinking about it.

"Juvia gets the book, correct?" Juvia reiterated, stepping closer to the man.

The man grinned some more, but quickly switched it in for a fake assuring smile, "Of course."

Juvia thought that he was lying through his teeth, and felt that he was sure to break his deal with her. And although every part of her warned her not to do it, she thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he was being honest. Her heart was soothing her, telling her how nice it would be to look at her family photos and reminisce about the good old days.

But she wouldn't be so foolish.

Juvia went straight to the man, holding her hand out to pretend that she agreed to his terms. He drew his hand out as well, and once he did so, Juvia snatched the book and shot a powerful water bullet move at him. She scurried off, but was stopped almost immediately by the man grabbing her ankle. He pulled her towards him, and Juvia kept shooting water moves at him, each of them failing miserably, and before she could do another one, the man used a dark magic move on her.

"You fool! I'm your worst nightmare! I'm the monster under your bed!" The demon proclaimed, slowly stealing Juvia's right to move her body, "I'm a demon! No human could be as powerful as I!"

Juvia's body went completely numb. She lost all of her movement, and before she knew it, her lips were moving on their own as she chanted a spell, "Water Monster!"

Water swirled around Juvia's limp body. Splashes of water consumed the inside of the house, forming it into a gigantic, dinosaur-like monster, that was made completely from water. Juvia's magic power started to slip away into the monster's movement without her permission. She couldn't control herself - she was like a puppet. But even though the fear of being controlled scared her, the puppeteer scared her more.

"W-why can't Juvia move?" Juvia asked, struggling to move her arms.

"Didn't you hear me? I'm a demon! I used dark magic on you, and now your power is my power." The demon said, his visual appearance changing into a startling demon, "You are _mine _now."

The demon held up the book that Juvia had desired, and burned it to a crisp with black flames right in front of her, crushing her spirit entirely. Juvia's heart seemed to crumble inside of her, pulling at each individual heart string. Her lungs felt constricted as she struggled for the air that refused to come. Too soon after, she could feel tears endlessly falling off her cheeks. They dropped so easily off her face... Just like the rain. Drip. Drop. Drip.

* * *

><p>Gray stretched his back from the long train ride. He had just exited the train about five minutes ago and now he was strolling into Arberdale, looking around for the cottage.<p>

Suddenly, the ground vibrated, knocking Gray off his feet, but he quickly stood up to see what was going on. There were distant screams and pieces of board and stone flying around. The once peaceful and merry town was now the entrance to Hell.

Gray, after realizing some bad omen was happening, looked for anything unusual; which, didn't take long. He looked up to see an overbearing, 35 ft. monster roaming through the town and breaking everything in its way. The most perculiar thing about it was that it was completely made out of water. Gray walked towards it to observe the monster more closely, and noticed something that made him think he had gone crazy. Juvia was inside of it, fully awake, but she appeared to be struggling in the water and even screaming in pain.

"Juvia!" Gray yelled, hoping to grab her attention.

Juvia's willpower to see Gray proved worthy as she strained every bit of magic inside of her, and contracted every muscle just to see the man whom she loves's face. Her cheeks were powdered pink, and she seemed to be smiling despite the unimaginable pain she was going through; forcing a dark magic to fall to its knees by her sheer strength and will.

"Gray-sama.." Juvia weakly called back, trying to struggle from her magic-type bondage.

"What's going on?" Gray asked, refusing to believe that she was committing this crime with a level head.

Juvia's arm was forced to move again, but instead of aiming and attacking a building, it aimed right at Gray.

Juvia's eyes widened, "Gray-sama! Get out of here!" Juvia cried, trying to hold back her punch.

Gray barely avoided the punch, and started to sum up what was going on after seeing a demonic looking creature cockily wave at him from on top of the monster's head. Gray frowned and used his ice mage powers to boost him to the top of Juvia's water monster. He stared at the demon's eyes. He could tell he was a demon... Even his demon slayer powers pulsated at the presence of him.

"What did you do to Juvia?" Gray asked, concluding that the demon was controlling Juvia.

"Isn't it obvious?" The demon asked with a haughty tone, "She was weak against me, and I was able to control her with my dark magic. So, now she's my puppet thanks to my superior magic abilities."

Gray furrowed his eyebrows. This demon was puppeteering Juvia against her will with some crazy move that can only be learned by a demon itself, and Gray knew exactly how to do deal with the situation. Kick the demon's ass.

"You _will _pay!" Gray proclaimed, and used one of his demon slayer moves, "Demon Slayer magic! Obliteration!"

A large, pulsing orb of magic flew right at the demon, but before it could even graze it, he forced Juvia to move her monster's arm to block the attack. The attack ripped through the monster's hand, making hundreds of pounds of water descend to the ground.

"Ahhh!" Juvia screeched in agony. Blood started to drop from the same hand the monster was damaged at.

Gray's eyes widened. He mentally looked for an answer for Juvia's scream, but the demon answered him instead, "Every attack you throw at the monster, will hurt Juvia as well. Shame, huh?"

Gray stood in place, thinking of another strategy. Of course, the demon that was controlling Juvia's every vein would not give him a second to retaliate. The demon forced Juvia's hands to raise up for a massive punch, and Gray blocked it and each punch that followed. The demon's bloodthirstiness for Gray's carcass was relentless; he wouldn't give Juvia a second to rest from the amount of power she lost after every move. Gray could tell she was suffering, but how can you fight a demon that's so invincible?

Juvia gasped deeply for some desirable oxygen after she landed another punch next to Gray. Her magic power was draining so fast that she could barely keep up - the demon must have thought she had some infinite supply of magic if he was overworking her this much. Didn't he need her to revive his girlfriend or something else other than waste her energy fighting someone who, no matter what, would block each hit Juvia's monster threw at him? She shook her head. This would be an endless battle.

The demon grunted after firing several of the monster's water bullets at Gray, which to his dismay, missed. He had to step things up in order to beat the ice mage/demon slayer.

"100 Percent Power!" The demon yelled out his next move, using Juvia's monster to target Gray with the attack, "Ultra Water Wave!"

"Gaahhh!" Juvia screamed and groaned in pain at the strain. The demon was forcing almost all of her power out for this next attack... Was he planning on killing Gray? _No... Gray-sama will definitely block this attack as well! He has to..._

Waves of water rushed at Gray, flooding the entire town of Arberdale. Gray struggled to block the fierce attack, and he was inflicted with water whips slashing against his arms and legs. Blood started to trickle off of Gray's new cuts, and he grunted at the mind-numbing stings. Gray had no time to retaliate when another wave of water came at him, burying him into the ground. The water was heavy on top of him as he was trying to get out of his predicament inside of a deep hole; it began to drown him.

"Mmph!" Gray groaned, wishing for a great puff of air to suddenly come to him and save him.

Fortunately, the water calmed down after Juvia's magic power started to become empty. Gray frantically coughed up water and a little bit of blood, hoping to breath in some air the instant the water quelled down. Eventually, his lungs started to work, and he breathed normally again. Now, all he had to do was escape the hole he was stuck in.

Gray's whole body was inside the hole except for his head, and of course, none of his magic moves seemed to be helping him get out. He sighed, realizing that there was no way he could get out by himself, but he encouraged himself to keep on trying regardless.

"Just where I want you..." The demon whispered to itself, and it forced Juvia to use the rest of her magic to kill Gray.

Juvia's arms raised up, ready to drown Gray. It killed her in the inside, but how could she stop herself? Water started to drop from her hands, and she bit her lip in anxiousness. _I won't let Gray die! I won't! _The demon's power overwhelmed Juvia, seeing that she was very weak from all of the magic she already used up. Water started flood out of her hands now, and Juvia's tears began to flood with it. _Juvia__ has to save him... Come on... Come on... _

The water continuously fell from Juvia's hands. _It hurts..._

More tears fell from Juvia's chin as she felt the most scrutinizing pain pierce every inch of her bloody, sore body, "GRAY-SAMA!"


	6. Golden Locket

A/N: Thank you for reviewing - **sabrina-luna-potter, Digi-fanCatt, LiveTheAnime01, agirlworthfghting4, Silver Sunshine the Hedgehog, BrigetteoO, **and **The Keeper of Worlds**. Thanks to you too - all silent readers, people who favorite and follow - I appreciate it. (Any criticism is welcomed; I'll gladly be flamed for a good reason.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

* * *

><p>Gray squinted his eyes, preparing for his death. The demon was forcing Juvia to attack, and Gray could already feel water spraying over him. He felt sorry about failing Juvia - about failing himself. He was now leaving this world with the worst regret he had ever made... Not telling Juvia his true feelings. Suddenly, the feeling of water ceased from touching his skin, and he slowly opened his eyes.<p>

His eyes widened, and his heart stopped as he looked at scene in front of him, "JUVIA!"

Juvia's monster's clenched fists stopped just a few inches above Gray's head. Several, small drops of water occasionally dripped off the fists, but it was never anything serious. Juvia's whole body was trembling, and it was painted in her blood. Now that Gray looked closely, it appeared that the water monster was dyed red as well.

Gray gasped. She was using her own blood as her only source of magic power to stop the monster from killing Gray.

"Juvia!" Gray yelled again in hopes to get Juvia to respond, "Juvia!"

Juvia's hands unfolded, making every drop of water the monster was made of dissipate into nothingness. She floated to the ground next to Gray while the demon ran off and watched what would happen next. She strolled over to Gray, a weak smile playing at her blood-stained lips. Without saying anything, she used all of the power she had left, and crushed the ground next to Gray with an overwhelmingly powerful water mage move.

Gray watched with a stupefied look on his face, but it changed to grief after Juvia finally spoke...

"Gray-sama... Live..."

Juvia collapsed onto the ground, but Gray jumped from the hole just in time to catch her. He stared at her battered and bloody frame, and noticed that she was barely breathing. It wouldn't be too long until she would die from blood loss. Gray scowled. Despite his anger, tears began to stream down his cheeks and onto Juvia's face.

_I'm going to kill that guy- _Gray stopped with his mental vengeance, and looked down to see that he stepped onto a locket and a letter right next to Juvia. _Juvia must have stuffed those in her pocket. _He knew what the letter was, and decided not to read anything but the reasoning for Juvia coming out in the first place. Why would she risk her life like that? His lips straightened emotionlessly as he read the letter.

**Dear Juvia,**

**I found a book of pictures of you and your parents, and I thought you might want it. You can find me in Arberdale, living a few miles away in a dilapidated cottage. Hope to see you soon.**

**Sincerely, Bora.**

Gray stuffed the letter back into Juvia's pocket, and his gaze fell onto the shiny, golden piece of jewelry that was previously next to the letter. He reluctantly surveyed its beauty, and his heart dropped after reading the engraving on the back.

**To Juvia's love, Gray-sama**

**You will never be alone.**

After seeing that the locket was for him, he looked inside of the locket and all of his emotions suddenly poured out with tears and inward screams. It was a picture of him and Juvia sitting together in the guild. He remembered that picture so well; he remembered how much he refused to be in a picture with her, until of course, she wooed him with her puppy eyes look. That always seemed to work on him...

It hurt Gray even more that he had failed someone else he loved. Yes, loved. He couldn't help but enjoy the water mage's bubbly personality and how much she cared for him. He didn't love her at first, but he didn't despise her. His plan the moment he realized that Juvia liked him was to ignore her, and eventually she would leave him alone, and he wouldn't have to lose another person. But ironically, he ignored his feelings and lost her anyway.

Gray slammed his fist into the ground in anger, but tried to pretend the anger wasn't present and lifted up Juvia bridal-style. He wanted to kill that demon, but Juvia's life mattered more. Hopefully, there was a hospital somewhere, or at least a doctor.

The demon lifted his hand, revealing sparks of dark magic prepared for an intense battle, "Running away!?" the demon asked after catapulting balls of dark power at Gray. Gray quickly maneuvered out of the way, but the immense power crashed against several buildings at once instead of its prior prey. Gray glimpsed over at the destroyed buildings, but he continued running away from the demon in hopes of finding someone who could help Juvia.

"Is there a doctor anywhere!? Please, help!" Gray pleaded as he dashed across and all around the streets.

One woman, before Gray could plead once more, grabbed Gray's ankle, "I'm a doctor..." she said weakly. She was under one of the buildings that that demon demolished just seconds ago, and it appeared that her leg was wedged under pounds of bricks and plaster. "But, I can't help unless you get me out from here and save my son."

Gray inwardly sighed. Juvia was losing so much blood right now, and he had to do even more time-consuming work to get her some help. But Gray knew that this was his only chance, so he sighed outwardly this time, laid Juvia on the ground, and easily forced off the bricks on top of the doctor. Now, all he needed to do was save her son - which, he knew nothing about.

"Quickly! Where's your son?" Gray asked right after using his ice powers to break off the remaining bricks from the doctor.

"He's at that school over there," the doctor explained, gesturing at a crushed building only a few blocks from Gray's current position, "he's still at the school, I'm sure! He looks just like me, but with red-rimmed glasses and a bowl haircut. If you don't see him around, call him by his name. Moro. Please... Please, save him."

Gray surveyed the doctor's features to make sure he would find the right kid. The doctor had a messy pixie cut and dark brown eyes. Her nose looked like a button, and her lips were quite small as well; other than the features on her face, her head shape was round. He affirmed he was ready to search for the boy with a firm nod, and ran off after sneaking in a worried look at Juvia's torn apart body. _Will she be okay? Well... She has a doctor with her now... She will be okay... She has to be..._

Gray stopped abruptly after digging into his muddled thoughts. The broken down school was right in front of him, and the only thing that showed him clearly that it was a school was the word 'school' written over a large block of plaster that hung over several other blocks of plaster.

There wasn't any sight of children around or under the school. Gray groaned. _Of course this isn't going to be easy._

Right after Gray started to call for the boy, the demon showed up again, throwing long chains (which were spiked with needles) instead of the balls of dark magic it was throwing at Gray before.

"You're persistent," Gray stated after dodging the chains by a mere inch, "but I have more important things to do."

"Like save your girlfriend? I don't know if you saw what I saw, but, I'm pretty sure she's not waking up anytime soon-" The demon proclaimed with a grin, but was interrupted by a beaming orb of demon slayer magic being thrown at him. He wasn't fast enough to retaliate and suffered a severe blow to his right arm.

"S-she's not..." Gray stammered, blushing deeply, but decided against replying to the demon's petty observation, "Juvia will live through this... But you won't."

Gray started to form a towering sword from his ice mage magic, and then distributed his demon slayer magic through it to enable it to damage the demon. Gray surged forward, hoping for the brawl to be over with soon. But it seemed that the boy he had called, Moro, had heard his name being called previously, and he was struggling to get bricks and barbed wire off of him.

Gray quickly slashed at the demon, but missed. Instead of slashing some more, Gray decided to save the boy for the sake of the deal he made with the doctor saving Juvia's life. Juvia's life meant too much to him to just ignore the young boy's cries, and plus, Gray's conscious squeezed for him to do something regardless of the deal.

While Gray's back was turned, the demon whipped out a third spiked chain, but this time, it was longer than the others. The demon whipped the chains through the street to Gray, instantly striking his lower back and forcing the man to collapse from the stinging pain.

"Shit!" Gray cursed through gritted teeth, but got up despite the pain. He had to save the boy before he was deprived of oxygen; the bricks were surely stealing his breath away being so heavy.

The demon whipped at Gray again, and Gray attempted to dodge it, but failed miserably and was hit at his shoulder. He unconsciously leaned to the right. The pain stung so bad from the prickly sharpness of the spikes from the chains. Gray just wanted to give up so he wouldn't have to feel it anymore, but his heart stirred after hearing the doctor eagerly pipe up,

"She's breathing normally again! She's alive!"

Gray couldn't help it. He just had to cry. He felt his tears start to well up, but he quickly wiped them away in order to hide his feelings. He attempted to gently smile or at least show only a small sign of thankfulness, but his emotions got the better of him and he smiled big and brightly as the tears finally trickled down.

"Thanks!" Gray cried out, the tears coming out more easily, "Thanks a lot!"

The doctor smiled at the sincerity of Gray's tone, and comfortingly rubbed Juvia's face, "You have someone who really cares for you, huh?"

Juvia smiled softly due to the pain, and a single tear dripped off her cheek. They weren't sad tears - the tears signified that she really couldn't be any happier, "Juvia thinks so..." she trailed off and looked sweetly at the doctor in front of her, "Thank you for saving Juvia."

The doctor smiled back.

Gray, while the two females chatted every once in a while, was busy rescuing the boy he promised to save. He gently threw the boy on his back, and started running towards the doctor. Before he could even go a single foot ahead, the demon slung a spiked chain into Gray's ankle, forcing Gray to fall again in agony. The boy fell of, and looked around to see that his mother was just a little ways away. He limped over to his mother, crying in fear and in pain. The bricks must have sprained one of his legs.

Gray glimpsed over at where he thought the boy was, about to apologize, until he saw that the boy was limping away.

"Kid! Get back here!" Gray demanded, worrying that the demon may try to kill the boy.

The boy continued limping anyway. The urge to hug his mother made his thoughts go blank - he needed to see her.

Juvia overheard Gray's pleas, and craned her neck to see what was going on. Her body jolted up once she saw a child limping towards her, and the demon only a few feet from him, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting boy.

The demon grinned and whipped back his chain in preparation for his cruel onslaught.

Juvia's eyes narrowed. Gray wouldn't be able to make it to boy in time since his ankle was torn, prohibiting him from walking fast enough. The only person that could save the boy was the doctor, but the doctor would die in the process - or at least get brutally injured. Juvia stared into the eyes of the doctor; a look of determination glinted in her dark blue eyes.

"Carry Juvia to your son. I'll protect you." Juvia told the worried woman.

The doctor was contemplating on what to do as well, and decided to go along with Juvia's plan. She carried Juvia piggy-back style, seeing that that was the easiest way to carry her, and ran to her son. She noticed her son was crying horribly and was waving his arms around as if he were flying. The worried mother weakly smiled at her son, and ignored the fact that the demon might strike and ran even faster to her son.

She finally caught the boy.

She embraced him.

She cried with him.

And she didn't feel one drop of blood fall from her body.

She looked up to see Juvia still on her back, but her arms were up and her hands were holding the spiked chain that the demon threw at them. Juvia gritted her teeth from the pain; the spikes were engulfed in the flesh of her palms.

"Juvia!" Gray cried out, and was in the process of crawling to the scene.

"Gray-sama..." Juvia weakly called back, and fell over from too much blood loss.

Gray caught her, and instinctively caressed her hair. He glared at the demon in front of him, and his powers surged back to him. The memories of the book that Juvia wanted so badly burned into his mind.

"You..." Gray directed, pointing at the demon, "where's that book you promised Juvia?"

The demon chuckled, "I had it, but, the water mage refused to listen to me so... I had to burn it to teach her a lesson."

Gray stood motionless in his spot. He was still holding Juvia, and he could have sworn that he felt the same throbbing pain that Juvia had felt once that demon burnt that book. He didn't know all the details, no, but he knew that that bubbly water mage wanted it, that she desired it. That was enough to spark his anger.

It felt like forever since the demon had spoken those cruel words and Gray was still sitting there. No one had said a word. Not because they were afraid, but, because there was nothing to say.

Fortunately, Gray broke the silence and gently laid Juvia next to the doctor, whispering to her to take care of Juvia. He stood up after patting his ankle - the one that had a deep gash in it, and glared at his opponent. He was ready to defeat him.

"Doctor..." Gray spoke up, and the doctor looked back at Gray with a look that said she was listening, "Make sure Juvia is awake to see me kill this guy - better yet, so she can kill the guy instead."

The doctor promptly nodded and rushed the water mage to a safer place for medical attention. The doctor's son tailed right behind her, clutching onto her pants.

Gray scowled at the demon, "And you... Prepare to taste your blood!"

"Come." The demon taunted.

Gray ran full-force at the demon, feeling more powerful than ever with the golden locket around his neck.


	7. Resistance

A/N: Thank you for reviewing - **Silver Sunshine the Hedgehog, hotrodren, LiveTheAnime01, ****sabrina-luna-potter, **and **BrigitteoO. **(Next chapter is the last!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>Gray swung fist after fist full of demon slayer enthused ice at the demon, mentally praying that the punches were effective enough to bring the demon down a notch. The demon fell back and quickly floated to a demolished house just a few feet away, panting in exhaustion. Gray's punches appeared to have bruised the demon, and forced a few drops of blood, but that was the most of it.<p>

Gray scowled. The demon was more durable than he thought.

Stealing a quick look at Juvia's current medical condition, Gray rushed back into the fight. _Juvia lost so much blood... Will she make it?_

Gray's thoughts were interrupted by the demon's sudden blow of deadly, dark fumes. It forced Gray to back away and hold his breath.

The demon charged at Gray after seeing him raise his arm to hold his mouth; it was the perfect opportunity to strike. The demon slashed nonstop at Gray's stomach, making his blood perpetually trickle down into his pant fabric. Gray retaliated by removing his hand from his mouth and forcing himself to make a move while being continually slashed at by the demon's resonating dark power in its fingertips.

"Demon Slayer magic!" Gray began, lightly coughing from the pain in his fresh wounds, "Demon Massacre!"

The marks on Gray's arms lit up and quickly darkened. It confused the demon, but he refused to stop his slashing. Gray took the demon's mistake to his advantage and didn't waste a second manipulating his powers. The Demon Slayer magic puffed up all the sudden, and turned into mini arrows in the sky. They quickly pointed at the demon in front of Gray and showered all at the same time towards its prey.

"Gahh!" The demon groaned in pain. It felt as if the arrows would never stop pouring down on the demon.

Gray grinned at his success and at the fact that the demon stopped hurting him and instead shielded itself with its cape. The arrows would not stop unless Gray had decided to stop the magic manually, or until he ran out of magic. Either way, Gray didn't want the thrill of seeing that demon in pain end.

Suddenly, the demon conjured enough demonic magic power to cut all of the arrows in half with its demon power - Grim Reaper Scythe. It left all of the arrows that were flying at it before, lay on the dirt as only meager twigs. The demon grinned at its rejuvenating surge of power, and wiped the blood off its arm and rubbed it on its face. The demon felt like a warrior with its blood on its face, and it stood proud and stoic in front of its opponent, Gray. It narrowed its eyes, and gestured for Gray to fight.

Gray accepted the taunt and ran towards the demon, relentlessly thrashing random Demon Slayer magic at it. The demon dodged each aimless blow, and ducked under Gray to deal an effortless kick to his abdomen. Gray flinched in pain but continued throwing more random attacks at the demon. The demon dodged the other attacks as well and kicked Gray several times in the chest and neck, forcing the ice mage on the ground to gripe in pain. The demon took Gray's moment of weakness as its offense, and conjured a fatal demon magic power.

"Demon Power! Soul Crusher!" The demon yelled and launched the attack on Gray's writhing frame.

The attack was supposed to inflict massive pain into Gray's entire body, and hurt him from the inside. Gray tried to dodge, but ended up getting hit by the attack anyway.

"Fuck!" Gray cursed as the pain he felt before was dull in comparison as to what he felt now. It felt like knives stabbing him everywhere with no end. It was almost like his arrow attack power, but the attack that Gray was going through was slightly different.

The attack was sharper and more relentless as it zipped through every vein in Gray's body. It would bulge once it got into a vein, slowly causing the ice mage to scream in agony from what felt like his vein would explode. But that was just in one area... Gray felt it all over his body. Over and over and over again.

It was Hell.

"Ahhhh!" Gray yelled after the veins in his heart started to bulge, "Shit! Fucking shit!"

That's all Gray could muster to say while his body squirmed and tried to defend itself from the mysterious pain. The demon only watched Gray, and decided not to inflict another attack and let the boy suffer instead. The attack would eventually burst one of Gray's veins, and then the other veins would pop as well. The only way to stop the vicious onslaught was if Gray stopped the demon's attack by simply fighting it. The only reason the attack was continual was that the demon's hands were stretched out and keeping the attack fluent with its powers. It was plausible that the demon would run out of power very soon, but it couldn't help but allow its power to drain to ensue Gray's personal Hell.

Gray turned to face the demon, and he glared at it as he coughed up large amounts of blood. The pain Gray was feeling was insurmountable, but he knew very well that he had to do something in order to stop the pain in the first place. Gray slowly rose up from his fetal position, twitching as he felt the pain worsen, and punched the demon as hard as could with some Demon Slayer magic in the mix. It took a lot out of Gray just to enthuse some magic into his punch, so Gray could only surmise that his punch probably felt like a blade of grass to the demon.

Gray's theory proved correct as the demon laughed off the punch and continued its onslaught in Gray's body. He fell to the floor. The pain numbed Gray's body, and he could barely move without yelping out a desperate cry. It was Hellish, but Gray refused to back down. Not only for himself, but for Juvia. This was the demon who ruined Juvia's life, the one who gave her the rain, and the one who forced her to sacrifice herself for Gray. Even if Juvia didn't die for Gray, Gray couldn't help but feel guilty that someone else, yet again, used themselves as a shield for his sake. The ice mage thought about the sacrifices people made for him everyday, and it ate away at him. He didn't want people to save him anymore... It only made him feel weaker... It only made him feel like no matter how strong he thought he got, that the people he loved would die anyway despite his strength. Yes... It ate away at Gray so much that he ignored anyone's feelings towards him. Even feelings that were only meant to be friendly. But Juvia's feelings... The feelings of love... It confused Gray. _How could she love such a weakling?_

As Gray's doubt ate away at his courage and his drive he wanted to just give up. But then, the faintest whisper traveled to his ears.

"Gray-sama... Juvia knows you're strong... So don't give up... Have hope, Gray-sama." Juvia had woken up to see Gray's painful condition, and she knew how he must be feeling. Weak and sad. She didn't want him to succumb to his doubts, and she knew she had to snap him out of it. Even if it was practically impossible for her to form words without letting out all of her air and some short cough-ups of blood.

Gray looked over at Juvia and clenched his fists. The pain he was feeling was overtaking his true feelings... His drive. He was out here to protect his friend! And yet... He was lying on the ground and giving up. No... That's not how Gray Fullbuster lives!

"Thank you, Juvia..." Gray mustered the words out of his trembling mouth, and even smiled at her. He would _not_ let her down.

Gray ignored the intense agony bubbling up in all of his veins and arteries, and strided to the demon that caused all of this pain. He would not allow the demon to hurt anyone anymore.

Gray slung back his arm, flinching a little at the muscle strain, and punched the demon square in the face. Not twice, but twenty times. Not only that, but Gray conjured his most draining magic; Demon Slayer Handcuffs. The move was able to immobilize your opponent, but only demons. It came with a risky price though... It drained all of your magic. If one were to miss their opponent, the opponent would unmistakably win the battle. Gray was willing to take that risk.

Taking another quick glimpse of Juvia, Gray released his attack on the demon, praying that it would work. The demon was still fazed by the punches, and so when the attack came at it, the demon was too dizzy to respond with its defense.

A victorious smile couldn't help but perch itself on Gray's lips. The stinging pain inside his body stopped, and the demon was now in magic handcuffs that immobilized all of its movements - including magic movements. He had beaten the demon. Now all he had to do was kill it.

Before Gray could kill the demon, his thoughts led him to Juvia. _I'm sure she wants to finish him, huh? _He grabbed the demon by his cape, and dragged him to Juvia, who was now seeming to recover from her physical wounds. She weakly smiled at Gray, and refused to look at the demon.

"Juvia knew Gray-sama could do it." Juvia stated, clasping her hands together as she sat up from her laying position.

"..Yeah.. Thanks..." Gray said, a light flush stained his cheeks from the compliment, "But uh, Juvia... I thought you would like to do the honors?"

Juvia glazed over at the demon that caused her so much misery. She hated the demon. She hated it for what it had done to her and to her family. She wanted to kill it so badly, and wanted to watch it bleed from head to toe. But feelings of retribution started to flourish inside of Juvia's heart, making the wounded water mage confused. _That thing doesn't deserve forgiveness! Right!?_

Gray gestured for Juvia to stand up and kill the demon, and Juvia responded by wobbling in an attempt to stand. She was able to stand after Gray propped her up with his hands, and now, Juvia was facing the murderer that killed her parents, and in a way, killed Juvia's insides.

Juvia's shoulders tensed after Gray touched her arm. She sighed in relief after seeing it was just Gray, but then her eyes focused on the weapon she was supposed to kill the demon with.

"How can Juvia kill a demon? Juvia doesn't have Demon Slayer magic." Juvia asked, staring more intently at the weapon Gray handed her. It was Gray's ice make spear, and it seemed to be surging with some odd power Juvia never felt before.

"I may be out of power, but, some of the Demon Slayer magic I made previously is still on that spear. It's still possible to kill the demon." Gray explained, and Juvia politely nodded to show understanding.

"Okay..." Juvia mumbled and edged closer to the demon, raising her weapon just above its head.

Why was she resisting? Why was she...

"Go on and kill me..." The demon muttered, actually shedding tears, "I don't deserve to see her anymore... I never did."

Juvia's grasp on her weapon started to falter as she recalled why the demon cast a curse on her, forcing her to do things she didn't want to do. He mentioned a girlfriend he had, and how he wanted to see her one more time. She remembered it so vividly, and now the demon's pain started to mix in with hers. She actually felt sympathetic. It was like her and Gray. She lost him too...

"Juvia? What are you doing?" Gray asked, raising his right eyebrow. He wasn't sure why she was hesitating. Wouldn't she be striking that thing repeatedly until Gray would have to stop her? That was the guy who ruined her life, so why the hesitance?

"Juvia..." Juvia started, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Juvia won't kill it!" Juvia smashed the spear into the ground next to the demon, her tears coming out more and more.


	8. Happiness Can Only Flourish in Happiness

A/N: Thank you for reviewing - **BrigetteoO, sabrina-luna-potter, LiveTheAnime01, animegamernerd15, agirlworthfighting4. mgaa, **and **The Keeper of Worlds. **Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed, and read this story. It means a lot to me! This is the last chapter, and hopefully, the very end of this story won't make you cringe from the large amount of cheesiness. Anyway, enjoy. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

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><p>Gray stood silent for what felt like a decade. How could Juvia not want to kill the demon? Hadn't it hurt her? Gray couldn't even imagine everything that it did to her. So why was she refusing to kill it?<p>

"Juvia won't kill it." Juvia repeated and stared at the demon in front of her, "Because it's like Juvia in a way..."

Gray couldn't conjure up any words to reply. After all, what do you say to something so crazy?

The demon glared at Juvia with bits and pieces of confusion visually scattered on his face. It wasn't sure why Juvia refused to kill it, and it didn't even know what to say to her ghastly refusal. _Is this some kind of cruel joke? Is she going to kill me after giving me hope that I'll live?_

"Your girlfriend... Didn't you love her?" Juvia questioned, and the demon blinked profusely, sweating a bit as well.

"That's none of your damn business." The demon retorted, and Juvia glared at it.

Juvia's patience was running thin for the demon, but she remained calm for the sake of the test. Yes... She was testing it. Testing to see if it had any ounce of love left in its heart.

"Love isn't business. It's a feeling." Juvia exclaimed, still calm as she explained to the demon, "if you truly loved your girlfriend, you could at least say so."

The demon couldn't understand the woman in front of him that was scolding him about love. What did she know? She would actually be able to see her loved ones again...

"It doesn't matter! I was foolish to love in the first place!" The demon argued, and Juvia's calm look became interested.

"Why?" Juvia asked, and Gray was quick to cut in.

"Juvia, this is ridiculous!" Gray interrupted, and Juvia halted him by flexing her arm out, keeping him back.

"Gray-sama... Love is a fragile thing... It requires forgiveness as well." Juvia stated calmly, and Gray sat down and decided not too interrupt, "Why?" Juvia asked the demon once again.

The demon scowled at Juvia, but then his eyes softened as he remembered every minscule detail of his girlfriend. There was only one thing that irked him about her, "Demons go to Hell... They can't be with angels."

Juvia's eyebrows cocked, confused. The demon spoke again.

"She was human. And... and she loved me," The demon said wistfully, grasping its tainted heart as much as it could, "I used to be human too. But after she died, I wasn't the same. I... I wanted to see her again, and I thought becoming stronger and learning more powerful magic would enable me to see her again; even if it was only for a second. But that's when I realized the only magic that could do that was water magic... I realized I would never be able to see her again, and I realized it was because of my foolish voyage of power! I should have waited to die! Then... Then maybe... Just maybe, I would have been with her for the rest of my life..."

Juvia was shocked at the explanation, and she finally connected all of the dots. The demon in front of her used to be all alone just like her. Even though this thing had hurt her... She couldn't help but feel sympathy towards it. She had lost Gray, her love... She remembered it so vividly, and she remembered how horrible his scream was. The arrow went right through his head... She knew it! Such a recollection could not be a lie! It happened... It just... Went back and fixed itself. She wasn't sure how, but, it did. She had lost Gray, and it was the worst feeling in the world. The only person that showed her so much compassion and care died for her right in front of her eyes. She felt guilt and sadness. How could she have been so thoughtless during battle? She should have paid attention, and because of that, Gray had died. Of course, he was alive now, but that didn't change what had happened in the past. The feeling of losing someone you love in a whole different way other than family, was emotionally numbing.

Thus, Juvia's sympathy for the thing in front of her grew by the second.

The demon chuckled weakly at its pathetic rant, "My love for her doesn't matter now... I'm going to Hell... I know I am. Demons go to Hell-"

"Apologizing is one step." Juvia simply said, interrupting the demon, "If you truly care about this woman... Then you would repent."

The demon only stared at Juvia, unsure of how to reply.

"As of now, you have done wrong and never apologized for it. I'm sure if you did, and let go of your demon form, that you would be forgiven. Not just by the Gatekeeper in Heaven, but by the woman you love herself." Juvia said, and handed the weapon to Gray.

"She loved you right?" Juvia asked the demon with a gentle smile, "Then she would understand... Love is a precious thing. It shouldn't be wasted."

Gray listened in awe at Juvia's words, and could only think over about his feelings for Juvia. He himself didn't completely know if he loved her or not, but he felt that he should at least answer her feelings. Bercase like Juvia said... Love should not be wasted.

"It's difficult for Juvia to forgive you, but, Juvia will let you go. In jail, though." Juvia explained to the demon and started to drag it across the town, "But, if you even dare to hurt someone again... Juvia will kill you. No exceptions."

The demon only slightly nodded in response, and Gray followed short behind. Of course, Juvia collapsed within minutes of dragging the demon, and now, Gray had two people to carry.

"Jeez..." Gray groaned, "She really overworked herself..."

With a long, groaning huff, Gray carried the two back to Magnolia.

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><p>Juvia's eyes fluttered open and flinched at the unexpected bright lights around her. <em>Where is Juvia at? <em>She surveyed her room, and realized there were bandages wrapped around her entire body except for her head. Other than herself, Juvia had guessed she was in a hospital room with all of the hospital looking gear and boring walls and floors. She huffed in disappointment that she was forced to be in a hospital room until she saw Gray asleep in a guest chair only a couple inches from her hospital bed.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia called softly, her heart starting to flying into her throat. Gray was actually in the same room as her! Wow, bliss!

Gray stirred at the sound of his name, and eventually, rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes.

"Juvia?" Gray airily said, and he blinked a few times before speaking again, "Ah! You're all right!" Gray slightly smiled.

Juvia blushed at Gray's happiness. He actually cared for her well-being, and the water mage couldn't help but mentally thrive in another short thread of her fantasies. Gray was proposing to her, and Juvia agreed right away as they danced off into the sunset.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia squealed happily as her fantasy continued into a saucy honeymoon.

Gray, seeing that Juvia was fantasizing again, gently shook her shoulders to wake her up. He would have been irritated if it didn't make him chuckle a little. _Jeez... Why me? _He stopped shaking Juvia after her eyes turned back from its starry-eyed happiness to its usual plain dark blue.

"Juvia is sorry... Juvia was just-" Juvia tried to explain, but Gray waved his hand to gesture that he already knew what she was doing. Juvia blushed a little in embarrassment. So he knew about her fantasies? Hahh... How embarrassing! Juvia decided to speak to avoid the awkward silence that would surely follow afterwards, "So what happened to the demon and the doctor?"

"The demon is locked up, but he's not a demon anymore. He gave up his demon form to be a human again. Of course, there was a price, but he refused to tell me what it was," Gray said with a light shrug, "And the doctor... She's living in another town while Arbedale is being fixed. Everyone's fine, so don't worry."

"Juvia is glad." Juvia stated silently and looked down at her bandaged hands and back up to Gray, "And you?" she referred to Gray's medical condition.

"I'm fine. Just a few bandages here and there." Gray answered, blushing a little as he looked away, "Thanks to you, I barely came out with a scratch..." Of course the ice mage had actually suffered quite a lot of attacks, but nowhere near as much as Juvia. He just didn't want her to worry about him while she was recovering from her wounds.

Juvia smiled widely, glad that Gray was fine. She started to stare at Gray again; it was a habit of hers among many.

Gray covered the burned red side of his face with his hand. He couldn't face Juvia while he looked so flushed and stupid. She always gave him that look that was so full of hope for a possible future with them, and it irritated Gray. _Why would she want to be with someone like me?_

Juvia stayed silent, but her smile said it all as she began fantasizing again.

"Juvia..." Gray cut in, stopping Juvia's adult fantasies short.

Juvia looked at him, showing him she was giving him her full attention.

"Why do you like me?" Gray simply asked, still blushing a little.

The water mage was shocked at the question at first, but then she recalled Gray's feelings for himself. He always seemed to think that he was a weakling, despite how proud he acted around Natsu, he actually felt worthless. It bothered Juvia, but she wasn't sure how to fix such a torn soul.

"Gray-sama took the rain away," Juvia began with a bright smile, "Now, Juvia can see the sun... The stars... Juvia now longer feels sadness... Only happiness."

Gray stared at her, unsure of how to respond. He unconsciously rubbed the golden locket Juvia gave him as his thoughts tried to collect into some type of words to tell Juvia, but nothing came out.

"Gray-sama, you're wearing the locket Juvia gave you?" Juvia guessed, smiling from ear to ear with stars in her eyes.

Gray's face burned into a deep red as he refused to look at her eye to eye, "Y-yeah... It's nice..."

"Juvia is glad." Juvia stated, smiling even more if that were possible.

Gray suddenly recalled why he was in the hospital room in the first place. Of course, he was there to support Juvia and all, but he also wanted to give her something. He mentally crossed his fingers in hopes that she wouldn't overreact.

"Here." Gray said, handing Juvia a large book. Juvia stared at the book for a few seconds before taking it.

The book was very floral and even had some butterflies imprinted on several spots of the book. It was obviously a handmade book, and the slanted book cover and tilted pages proved it as she opened the book. Her eyes widened at the pictures inside. It was all of her guild mates and close friends... Every single one of them were in the pictures, even Gray.

"W-what is this?" Juvia asked, her heart starting to drop.

"I know you lost your family picture book thingy, and... Well... I wanted - well, the whole guild wanted to make you a book filled with family pictures.." Gray started to explain, already noticing Juvia's change in emotion, "You're are family now, yeah?"

Juvia's eyes watered. She clutched the book in her arms against her chest as the tears that formed in her eyes continuously dropped down her cheeks.

Gray wasn't sure what to do about a crying girl, in fact, he thought he was the reason she was crying and went straight on to apologizing. But Juvia only wiped her eyes and allowed her actual emotion to take over; happiness.

"I-I am so happy!" Juvia declared, and shocked the ice mage.

The water mage never, ever used first person to speak. Gray had guessed it was just some sort of nervous tick she had or something, but it appeared to be another reason. Was... Was that her coping mechanism? To speak as if she were another person so she wouldn't have to feel what she was feeling? Because if Juvia separated herself from herself, did that mean she refused to accept her depression? Her rain?

"Gray-sama... Thank you." Juvia said, trying to wipe away all of her tears.

"W-w-well, I didn't really do anything! It was the guild's idea, and... And..." Gray stammered, blushing nervously.

Juvia only smiled at Gray's usual tsundere behavior, "Well, Juvia loves her gift, so, thank you."

Gray's face darkened more as he recalled something else he wanted to give her; mostly because Juvia had given him such an expensive-looking piece of jewelry. He carefully took off his cross necklace, the necklace that he wore all the time (or the thing that he actually didn't strip off...) and placed it around Juvia's neck. Juvia lowered her head as her body started to heat up. Gray was giving her his necklace...

"Gray-sama, Juvia doesn't want to take-" Juvia tried to stop him, not wanting him to sacrifice anything important to him.

"It's just some necklace I picked up around the market a while back. I only got it 'cause it looked cool, so, it doesn't mean that much to me." Gray quickly explained, and Juvia exhaled in relief.

The last thing Juvia wanted to do was make Gray lose something again.

"Thank you..." Juvia mumbled, now entranced into one of her fantasies where the necklace meant a proposal. She quickly shook her head from her naughty thoughts and turned to look at Gray. He still looked neutral, or at least slightly sad. Juvia hated to see Gray so sad... Not even the prettiest of jewels could make her smile if Gray was still unhappy. She was now staring at Gray, making him shift uncomfortably in his seat, "Gray-sama... Juvia knows it's selfish, but, may Juvia request something?"

Gray lightly nodded as his simple, lazy way of replying.

"Smile." Juvia said, her tone completely calm and serious.

Gray stared at her for at least five minutes before he understood the whole meaning behind her words. Even though he had given Juvia all of these nice things to make her happy, they didn't work. She would smile for only a short time just to be polite, and then her sadness would seep in again. Gray didn't understand why at first, but then, after Juvia requested him to smile for her, he finally understood. Juvia would and could never be happy or smile if Gray wasn't smiling.

_Why is my heart twitching so much? Am I having a heart attack or something? _Gray thought as he looked at the silent girl who was waiting for his smile with hopeful eyes. He couldn't take it. The water mage was far too cute and convincing for her own good.

Gray shooed away all of the pain in his heart for Juvia's sake, and finally, he smiled. The girl was worth it... And you know what? That pain in Gray's heart subsided, and he wasn't even forcing his smile anymore. The smile was real from the left curve to the right curve. It was a big smile; one that showed that his pain was now nonexistent.

But now there was another problem in Gray's heart. The nonstop twitching in his heart escalated after seeing the girl request for his smile, smile from ear to ear.

"Juvia..." Gray spoke up, and grabbed her bandaged hand. Juvia's smile turned to a perplexed straight line as she watched what Gray was doing. Her cheeks flushed.

"Thank you." He finished, gently rubbing part of her hand. His entire face was stained red, and the words he tried to get out for his confession refused to come out. They only became his usual speech that he used with his friends, which, Juvia probably thought nothing more of. _This is my confession for Juvia? She's never going to-_

"Gray-sama is..." Juvia suddenly said, interrupting Gray's thoughts, "Proposing!?"

_I thought she wouldn't read anything into it, but instead she thought way too much of it! _Gray comically fell to the ground. Only Juvia would take Gray's awkward mannerisms as a proposal. Gray quickly got up from the ground, and his grip on Juvia's hand remained as he looked at her right in the eyes.

"I-i-it's not a proposal... I..." Gray stammered, now looking away from Juvia as he nervously tapped his free fingers along her bed, "I kind of... You know... When friends like friends, but, um, times two?"

"You want to just take Juvia to bed!? Oh my, Gray-sama! Juvia didn't know you were so straightforward!" Juvia squealed, and rested her hands on her cheeks to cool the heat blazing in her skin.

Gray's blush was now from the hottest volcano to the deepest depths of Hell itself. _Why can't I say the right words!? _Gray finally looked back into her eyes, "No. Not that. I never answered your feelings, and... Friends... And the talk of the birds and the bees... I didn't know what-"

Juvia interrupted Gray with her finger to his lips, "I get it, Gray-sama. Juvia knows you're not good with words and all."

Gray nervously looked away, but then his body was pulled towards Juvia as she quickly took a picture of them with a lacrima. She swiftly placed the picture of them inside of her family photograph book,and smiled at Gray.

"We're going straight to our honeymoon..." Juvia said with a bright smile, "Juvia loves your straightforward side!"

Gray grumbled as the water mage hugged him tightly in her chest. She still didn't get it, but, Gray couldn't handle explaining once more, so he just let her thoughts run on as she squeezed him lovingly. Gray's chest twitched again. A new feeling started to bloom inside of Gray's heart. _This is... Love?_

Gray smiled.


End file.
